Color indicator for weft-replenishing looms



March 27, 192& 1,663,957

a; H. RYON COLOR INDIOATO RWOR WEFT REPLENISHINO LOOKS Filed 001;, 4, I926 Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. J

EPPA H. RYON, 0F PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 CROMPTON z KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, 'OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS.

COLOR INDICATOR FOR WEFT-REPLENISHING LOOMS. I

I Application filed October 4, 1926. Serial No. 138,968.

This invention relates to improvements in color indicating mechanisms for automatic box looms and it is the principal object of the invention to provide a color indicator for looms employing the Knowles head wherein the indication will be given earller than has been possible heretofore.

Multi-color weft replenishing looms usually employ a magazine in which the bobbins are arranged in parallel stacks according to distinctive characteristics and there is usual- 1y employed a sliding and angularly movable color selector which cooperates with a plurality of bobbin releasing devices. The se-' lector moves to any one of several posltions depending upon which shuttle isactive and receives an angular movementat the proper time either to initiate replenishment or to advance the bobbin from the stack toward a transfer position common to all the stacks. In this latter operation it is desirable that as much time as possible be given the bobbin to move toward transfer position.

lVorsted looms are ordinarily equipped with the so-called Knowles head to actuate the boxes and run at a sufficiently slow rate of speed so that the color selector can be connected directly to the box actuating mechanism, but where faster running looms are equipped with the Knowles head'it is found that insufficient time elapses between the releasing of the bobbin from the stack and its arrival in transfer position, the bob bin frequently being caught before being properly placed by the descending trans" ferrer arm and either crushed or improperly inserted in the shuttle. It is an important object of my invention to provide an actuator for the color slide deriving its motion from some-part of the Knowles head Which moves in advance of the boxes. As shown herein I have provided a set of compound levers actuated by the vibrator levers which are lifted by the pattern chain of the head motion, but I do not wish to be held to this particular source of movement for the levers.

lVith these and other objects in view which will appear as the description pro-- ceeds, my invention resides in the combina tion and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have shown a convenient embodiment of my invention,-

Fig. 1,is a vertical section through aportion of a Knowles head, the box actuating le vers being indicated in rear elevation, V

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevation of the compound levers showing fragmentary parts ofthe actuating vibrator levers,

Fig. 3 is an enlargedvertical section on levers on the ordinary frame'of the Knowles head; 7 I

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that I have shown a loom arch10 to which is secured a headlframe' 11 having oppositely rotating-mutilated upper and lower actuating cylinders '12 and 13, respectively. The frame 11 supports a heel pin 14 on which is mounted for limited angular movement a set of vibrator levers-15, two of said levers being shown herein for a 4x1 loom. A heel shell 16 prevents upward movement of the right hand end of the vibrator lever 15 under action of pattern chain 17 which is given an angular motion each pick of the loom by a, cylinder 18'driven by mechanism not shown but well understood. Said chain is composed of links some spaces of which are blank and some spaces of which are provided with balls 19 located under the virator levers so that the latter may assume either of two vertical positions.

The left end of eaeh'vibrator lever has rotatably mountedthereon as at 20 a vibra- The mechanism for controlling the boxes includes two levers, one indicated at 25 and being pivoted to the archlO at 26 and the other lever 27 being somewhat shorter and pivoted at 28 to the arch. The upper end ofeach of the levers 25 and 27 is connected to a vi-' brator connector 23 and the box lifter chain 29 is connected as at 30 to the lever 25. Said chain 29 is trained around a sheave 31 freely rotatable on the lower end of the lever 27, said chain being guided around sheave 32 toward the shuttle boxes. The levers and their operative contacts with the chain 29 which are mounted for vertical sliding movement a plurality of sliding controllers 34 which" are provided withupper and lower lugs '35 and 36, respectively. By means of so-called cradles indicated at 37 the controllers regulate the movement of the bobbins from the magazine toward a common trans fer position under said controllers.

i The movements of the controllers 34 are determinedby a color selector 38 longitudinally slidable in bearings 39 and having a pair of fingers indicated at, 40 in dotted lines. Abell crank lever 41 pivoted as at 42 to the magazine has connection by means of a grooved collar 43 with the color slide 38 and a rod 44 pivotally connected to the lever 41 and having a compression spring 45 therearound and interposed between an arm 46 of the magazine and the lever 41;

tends to move the latter in Fig. 5.

It is desirable that the color selector 38 be given a' position to correspond with the to the left as shown active shuttle 'and when there is a change in the shuttles there must be a corresponding change in said selector so that one or the other of the fingers 40 will be operatively related tovthe controller34 which corresponds to the active shuttle. By means of mechanism not shownbut set forth in my earlier Patent No. 1,030,748 the color selector is given an angular movementso that one of the lingers 40 will have operative contact with the lug 35 or 36 corresponding to the shuttle requiring replenishment. The mechanism described in connection with Fig. 5 is well understood and for a further description of the same reference may be had to my aforesaid patent.

As previously stated when the multi-color weft replenishing mechanism has been used one loom employing the Knowlesrhead it has been customary to have the color selector 38 actuated directly by the box lifter chain 29, but in fast running looms employing the Knowles head it is found that this connection moves the color selector too slowly so that it starts to have its angular movement before its longitudinal movement is completed with the result that an improper movement of one or another of the controllers 34 follows. 1 7

It is the general object of my present invention to introduce between theKnowles head vibrator 15 or some part connected therewith and the color slide 38 appropriate mechanism to complete the movement of the latter before the box lifter chain 29 comes to rest. Accordingly, in carrying out my invention I provide a small stand 50 secured to one of the sides of the head frame 11 as shown in. Fig. 6 and provide said stand with a fixed stud 51 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. atiing levers, one of which, indicated at 52, has an upwardly extending arm provided with a stud 53 and a horizontally extending foot 54 which rests on an extension 55 of one of ,the vibrator levers 15. Theother lever 56 has a depending arm which supports a stud 57 and a horizontally extending foot 58 which rests on another extension 59 project ing upwardly from the other of the vibrator levers 15. A control lever-60 is pivoted substantially at the central portion thereof on the stud 53 of the lever 52 and has a slot in the lower end thereof for the stud 57 of the lever 56. The upper end of said control lever 60 has attachment with a connector 61 which may be connected in any approved manner to the bell crank lever 41 as by passing over a guide sheave 62 rotating on a fixed center. The connection 61 acts against the force of spring 45. i

In the operation of the loom the pattern chain 17 will present balls and blank spaces under the vibrator levers 15, according to the. pattern desired,and the extensions 55 and 57 will be raised and lowered in predetermined order. The levers 52 and 56 can therefore give four dilferentpositions to the studs 53 and 57, thus moving the upper end of lever 60 to four different positions. The levers 52, 56, and 60 constitute a system of compound levers by meansof which the color slide 38 ismoved in timed relation with the active shuttle.

It will be seen thatthe box lifting chain 29 does not start its movement until the vibrators and the levers 52 and 56 have com-;

pleted their movement and it is at a still later time that said chain 29 reaches its final position for any given pick.

actuated by .the chain 29 so that the color selector 38 can be properly placed earlier It will thus be seen that the connector 61 completes its Said stud has pivoted thereon two actuloo than has been possible heretofore in looms employin the Knowles head.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided means for bringing the color slide of a mu'lti-color weft replenishing mechanism to rest prior to the completion of the movements of the levers of the Knowles head which control the movements of the boxes. While I have shown the system of compound levers as actuated by direct contact with the vibrator levers 15, yet I do not wish to be limited to this construction. The invention set forth herein is also applicable on the so-called Knowles side plate box motion shown in Patent No. 551,101 to vVattie and Hutchins.

Having thus described my invention, it will be apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed but what I claim is:

1. vIn a weft replenishing loom having a multi-color magazine and a color selector therefor, a pair of spaced actuating cylindcrs, a vibrating element comprising a lever, a gear rotatable thereon, and a vibrator connector operatively connected to the gear, shuttle box actuating mechanism operatively connected to the connector, a pattern mechanism to give the lover a complete movement prior to the actuation of the shuttle box controlling mechanism by the connector, and means connected to the selector and actuated by a portion of the vibrating element, Whereby the selector is given a complete movement before the movement of the shuttle box controlling mechanism is completed.

2. In a weft replenishing loomhaving a multi-color magazine and a color selector therefor, a pair of actuator cylinders, pattern mechanism, a vibrator lever interposed between the cylinders and operatively related to the pattern mechanism to be given a plurality of positions by the latter, shuttle box actuating devices operatively connected to the vibrator lever and actuated by the cylinders after the vibrator lever has been positioned by the pattern mechanism, and means actuated by the vibrator lever during the movement thereof-by the pattern nism to control the position of the color selector prior to movement of the shuttle box actuating devices.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having a multi-color magazine and a color selector therefor, a shuttle box actuating mechanism, a pattern mechanism, vibrator levers to be actuated by the pattern mechanism and movable thereby to a plurality of positions, means operative after the vibrator levers have been given a complete movement b the pattern mechanism to actuate the shuttle box mechanism, and devices operatively mecha nism, a pattern mechanism, vibrator levers for the pattern mechanism movable by the latter, means to actuate the shuttle box controlling mechanism after the vibrator levers have been given a complete movement by the pattern mechanism, and means op; eratively related to the vi'bratorlevers and effective during the time that said levers are being moved by the pattern mechanism to control the position of the color selector, whereby said selector receives a complete movement before the shuttle box controlling mechanism completes its movement.

' 5. In a weft replenishing loom having a multi-color magazine and a color selector therefor, a pattern mechanism, a shuttle box controlling mechanism, a vibrating element connected to the shuttle box controlling mechanism and having a portion thereof under control of the pattern mechanism to be given a plurality of positions by said pattern mechanism, a pair of rotating actuating cylinders, a rotary member forming part of the vibrating element and interposed between the portions of the latter which are operatively related respectively to the pattern mechanism and the shuttle box controlling mechanism, and means connected to the selector and movable by a part of the vibrating element to give said selector a complete movement before movement of the shuttle box controlling mechanism.

6. In a Weft replenishing loom having a multi-color magazine and a color selectortherefor, a pattern mechanism, avibrator lever therefor, a vibrator gear mounted on the vibrator lever, a pair of oppositely rotating spaced actuating cylinders, a vibrator connector attached to the gear, a box motion actuating mechanism operatively connected to the vibrator connector, said vibrator lever and gear being movable to a plurality of positions relatively to the operating cylinders by the pattern mechanism, and a lever actuated by the vibrator lever and operatively connected to the color I selector to give the latter a complete movement prior to the completion of the movement of the shuttle box controlling mechanism by the vibrator connector.

7. In a weft replenishing, loom having a multi-color magazine and a color selector therefor, a pattern mechanism, a pair of vibrator levers therefor, a vibrator gear for each vibrator lever, a palr of spaced actuator cylinders, said pattern mechanism moving the gears int-0 operative relationship With respect to either cylinder for actuation, a vibrator connector for each vibrator gear, a shuttle box controlling mechanism operatively connected to each vibrator connector, and a system of compound levers operated by the vibrator levers and attached to the color selector to give the latter a complete movement prior to the completion of the movement of the shuttle box actuating mechanism.

8. In a weft replenishing loom having a multi-color magazine and a color selector therefor, a pattern mechanism, a pair of vibrator levers therefor, a vibrator gear for each vibrator lever, a pair ofspaced actuaa vibrator connector for each vibrator gear, 7

a shuttle box controlling mechanismopera tively connected to each vibrator-connector, and a system of compound levers operated by the vibrator levers and'attached'to the color selector to give" the latter a complete movement prior to the completion of the movement of the shuttle box actuating mechanism, said compound levers having a lever for each vibrator. V

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

EPPA H. RYON. 

